Plane Went Down Near Travis AFB

The pilot of a Cessna 177 Cardinal (file photo of type, below) died Wednesday after the plane went down in a rural area approximately eight miles east of Travis Air Force Base, near Clarksburg, CA.

The accident occurred late Wednesday afternoon. According to media reports, a pilot flying nearby witnessed the Cardinal "strike high-tension power lines and then crash a short distance later into a field... and burst into flames," according to California Highway Patrol Spokesman Wayne Ziese. That pilot issued a mayday call at approximately 5:05 pm local.

A CHP helicopter located the wreckage a short time after the accident. The wreckage was on fire when Solano County sheriffs deputies and fire crews arrived at the scene, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

Authorities did not yet know the identity of the pilot, nor the plane's departure point or its intended destination, said Solano County Sheriff's deputy Daryl Snedeker. FAA and NTSB investigators were expected to be on scene Thursday morning, he added.

***********************************************************************
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 8040G        Make/Model: C177      Description: 177, Cardinal
  Date: 12/14/2005     Time: 0045

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: CLARKSBURG   State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  ACFT STRUCK POWER LINES AND CRASHED IN A FIELD 5 MILES EAST OF TRAVIS AFB,
  CLARKSBURG, CA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: SUU 0055Z 040/05KTS 5SM HZ BKN220 09/04 A3013

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Cruise      Operation: General Aviation

  Departed:                             Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination:                          Flt Plan:              Wx Briefing: 
  Last Radio Cont: 
  Last Clearance: 

  FAA FSDO: SACRAMENTO, CA  (WP25)                Entry date: 12/15/2005

FMI: www.ntsb.gov